The Fingal Local Enterprise Office has announced the judging panels for the biggest regional student enterprise event in the country – the Fingal Student Enterprise Awards on March 12th, which is supported by the Dublin and Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board. The final countdown is underway for 'Judgement Day', which will see student entrepreneurs from twenty secondary schools and eight primary schools compete for a share of the €15,000 prize fund at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Blanchardstown, hosted by RTE's Rick O' Shea.

Hundreds of enterprising students from primary and secondary schools across Fingal are making final preparations for the annual Fingal Student Enterprise Awards, taking place on Thursday, March 12th. Organised by the Fingal Local Enterprise Office, over 2,000 students from 31 primary and secondary schools have been taking part in the programme since last September, making it the biggest programme of its kind in the country.

Six high value jobs in the Irish IT sector, which were under threat, have been secured just in time for the festive season. A start-up company specialising in network integration, which was formed following a Management Buy-Out just last month, was approved for an enterprise grant to help guarantee the Irish jobs. Agile Networks completed the management buy-out of the Irish operations of Telindus and has just been approved for substantial grant assistance from the Fingal County Enterprise Board.

Eight small Irish businesses are crossing the Atlantic later this month to showcase their products to potential US buyers, hoping to secure combined export sales in excess of $200,000 in the next twelve months. Supported by Fingal County Enterprise Board, 'Fingal's Finest' are attending the 'Ireland Show', taking place on April 21st to 24th in Secaucus, New Jersey. One of the United States largest 'Irish' trade shows, attended by hundreds of influential buyers and industry leaders every year, it offers Irish companies a unique opportunity to meet and impress key representatives from the lucrative Irish-American gifts and crafts market.

A record-breaking number of schools have signed up to the Fingal Student Enterprise Programme this year, enabling more students than ever to set up and run their own student enterprises. Nineteen secondary schools and ten primary schools from all over Fingal are taking part in the programme, which will involve over 1800 budding entrepreneurs between now and the County Finals in March.